Device for effecting water-flow from a roof or the like



July 21, 1964 A. A. CULPEPPER DEVICE FOR EFFECTING WATER-FLOWFROM A ROOFOR THE LIKE Filed April 12, 1962 I 2 Sheets-Sheet l y 21, 1964 A. A.CULPEPPER 3,141,955

DEVICE F'QREFFECTING WATER-FLOW FROM A ROOF OR THE LIKE Filed April 12,1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,141,955 DEVICE FOR EFFECTING WATER-FLOW FROM AROOF OR THE LIKE Abner A. Culpepper, 4027 Harvey Ave., Western Springs,Ill. Filed Apr. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 187,080 2 Claims. (Cl. 219-213) It isan object of this invention to provide an arrangement for draining froma roof water resulting from the melting of a snow blanket or ice damupon the roof, thus eliminating water damage to the interior of abuilding.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for the purposesherein stated which will be simple in construction and highly economicaland efficient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of a roof showing my inventionassociated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one form of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the invention showingthe same in position upon a roof and gutter;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the invention showingthe upper end thereof removably attached to a roof;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional detail view illustrating the resultingeffect of the device with respect to a snow or ice pack on a roof;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a roof showing a modifiedconstruction of the invention associated therewith.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary internal perspective View of the roof shown inFIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a drain plate embodied in theinvention;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the invention takensubstantially on line 1111 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional detail view taken substantially online 12-12 of FIG. 11.

Heat from the interior of a building slowly melts the under-layer ofsnow blanketing the roof of a building. Water resulting from suchmelting trickles down the roof until it reaches the unheated areasthereof and then refreezes. This process continues until there resultsan ice dam which keeps building up upon the unheated area of the roof.Water which is trapped under the dam eventually finds its way under theshingles or roofing and from thence seeps into the building interior,resulting in damage to the walls and ceilings. If there be a gutterassociated with the roof, water flowing into the unheated gutter willfreeze and eventually build up a substantial ice dam which will obstructthe flow of the water from beneath the snow blanket, and as the ice damis built up, the result will be seepage of water through the roof boardsbeneath the shingles into the interior of the building.

It is therefore one of the principal objects of this invention toprovide a device which when placed where such an ice dam is likely toform, will create within or beneath such dam a tunnel or open channelinto which water resulting from the melting of snow blanketing the roofwill flow to the gutter or, if the gutter is blocked 3,141,955 PatentedJuly 21, 1964 with ice or other matter, across the gutter and thence tothe ground below.

To accomplish the several objects of my invention, one form ofconstruction includes an elongated tube 10 of heat-conductive material.Preferably the tube 10 is flexible so that it may be bent or shaped toconform to the slope of the roof 11 and the gutter 12, such as suggestedin FIG. 5. One or more rings 13 may be mounted on the tube 10 to supportthe same upon the roof 11. These rings are formed of such material aswill best serve the purpose. The upper end portion of the tube 10 isclosed by a plug 14 having a fusible insert 15 for reasons hereinafterexplained.

Carried by the upper end portion of the tube 10 is a clip 16 having anelongated finger or projection 17 which, as shown in FIG. 6, is adaptedto be inserted beneath a shingle 19 to retain the tube 10 in apredetermined position.

Projected into the lower end portion of the tube 10 is a heater element20, the outer end portion 21 of which is tubular in form to provide apassage for conductor wires 22. This heater element 20 may be attachedto the tub 10 in any desirable manner. In the present instance, I haveshown a nipple 23 attached to the lower end portion of the tube 10 andthreaded to receive a connector 24 which is carried by the tubularmember 21. The lower end portion of the device as shown in FIG. 5,extends across the gutter 12 and is supported from the gutter by meansof a suitable clip 25.

The tubular member 21 has a right-angular extension 26 through which theconductor wires 22 extend. This extension is to locate the outlet forthe wires 22 remotely from the path of the water. The conductor wires 22are connected to a suitable step-down transformer which in turn isconnected to the power circuit within the building with which the deviceis associated. The power for operating the heater element 20 may be of avery low voltage, depending upon the construction and size of the heaterand the length of the tube 10.

Filling the tube 10 is a liquid which has been treated so as not tofreeze at low temperatures, which freezing would otherwise damage thetube 10. The antifreeze liquid within the tube 10 is heated and the heatfrom the liquid is in turn conducted to the tube 10. As a safetymeasure, I provide, as previously pointed out, a fusible insert 15 whichwill melt should the liquid within the tube 10 reach a temperaturesufficiently high to cause such insert to melt.

The device thus far explained may beplaced on any portion of the roof.As snow and ice are more apt to collect and accumulate in the valleydefined by a dormer 27 and the roof 11, I have shown the device locatedin such valley. When the heater 20 is operative and when the liquid hasconducted the heat to the tube 10, the heated tube 10 will cause thesurrounding snow or ice to melt, forming a tunnel 30 or an open channel30, as the case may be, the latter being indicated in dotted lines inFIG. 7. As the snow and ice continue to melt through the efifect ofoutside temperature or by reason of heat emanating from the roof 11, thewater thus produced will flow out the tunnel or channel and into thegutter 12, or across the gutter or roof edge to the ground. If, however,the gutter should be clogged with snow or ice, water will by capillaryaction or natural flow follow the tubes 10 and 21 and thence drop ordrip from a point beyond the gutter to the ground surface.

Being flexible, the tube 10 may be bent to fit the shape of the valleyprovided between the gable 27 and roof 11. Should the device be placedupon a pitched roof, the same result will be accomplished.

While I have found it most desirable to fill the tube 10 with anon-freezing liquid, I have found by experience that the device willoperate efiiciently without such liquid in the tube 10. In suchinstance, the heat from the heater will heat the air within the tube andthe heated air will thus conduct the heat through the tube 10.

In FIGS. 8, 9, 11 and 12, I have shown the tube constructed with a Tfitting 31, to which fitting is connected a tube 32 which extendsthrough an opening 33 formed in the roof into the attic or space beneaththe roof. This tube 32 has a sealing cap 33' and within this tube, aswell as within the tube 10, is confined anti-freeze liquid, when such isused. Mounted upon the tube 32 is a heating coil 34 which is connectedto one side 35 of a transformer 36, the other side 37 of the transformerbeing connected to a suitable source of supply. To prevent leakagethrough the roof at the point where the tube 32 passes through to thespace therebelow, I provide a suitable seal 38. This seal 38 may be ofany approved construction as will best serve the purpose. When a deviceis confined on each side of the gable 27, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, theheater units 34 may be connected in parallel as shown in FIG. 9.

To complete the invention, I provide a drain plate 39 comprising aU-shaped section 40 to afford connection to the outside Wall of thegutter 12. Such plate functions to drain water to a point beyond thegutter to the ground.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the device constituting myinvention may be used on roofs of different angles and shapes, thisbeing due to the flexibility of the tube 10.

When in use my device will effectively provide a tunnel or open channelfor the draining of water resulting from the melting of snow and ice andthus prevent the water from building up or otherwise finding admissionunder the shingles or other roofing material and from thence seepinginto the area beneath the roof, which might result in substantialdamage.

The tube 10 as well as the tube 21 may be of any length and of suchmaterial as will best serve the purpose.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise detailsof construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variationsand modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for forming a tunnel beneath a pack of snow or an ice dam ona roof to provide an outlet for water resulting from the melting of thesnow or ice, comprising (a) an elongated heat-transfer member positionedupon said roof and having one end portion extending across a gutterthereof to a point spaced from the outer side wall of the gutter, saidmember being flexible to afford bending of said member to conform to thesurface of the roof,

(b) a heater coil connected to said end portion of said member andhaving a power source,

(0) means for conducting heat from said heater coil to andlongitudinally of said member to form said tunnel,

(d) and a drain plate supported from the outer side wall of said gutterand located beneath said end portion of said member extending beyondsaid outer side wall of the gutter and cooperating with the latter todirect the melted snow or ice away from said gutter.

2. A device for forming a water outlet within and beneath a pack or snowor an ice dam on a roof, comprising (a) an elongated flexible tubularmember of heattransfer material and disposed upon said roof with one endportion beneath said pack of snow or ice dam, said member having one endportion extending from said roof to a point across and outwardly fromthe outer side wall of a gutter attached to the roof,

(b) a second tubular member connected to said first tubular member at apoint between the opposite ends of said first tubular member andextending through said roof,

(0) a heater coil connected to said second tubular member beneath saidroof,

(d) a power source for said heater coil,

(e) and means for conducting heat from said heater coil through saidsecond tubular member to and longitudinally of said first tubular memberto form said water outlet the full length of said first tubular member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,809,714 Mathews June 9, 1931 2,111,251 Spilsbury Mar. 15, 19382,507,039 Miller May 9, 1950 2,516,950 Bragg Aug. 1, 1950 2,681,407Miedema June 15, 1954 2,699,484 Michaels Jan. 11, 1955 2,755,499 MaysJuly 24, 1956 2,758,194 Heron Aug. 7, 1957 2,809,268 Heron Oct. 8, 19572,877,630 Schultz Mar. 17, 1959 2,911,513 MacCracken Nov. 3, 1959FOREIGN PATENTS 760,126 Great Britain Oct. 31, 1956 OTHER REFERENCESPopular Science, vol. 174, No. 2, page 238; February 1959.

1. A DEVICE FOR FORMING A TUNNEL BENEATH A PACK OF SNOW OR AN ICE DAM ONA ROOF TO PROVIDE AN OUTLET FOR WATER RESULTING FROM THE MELTING OF THESNOW OR ICE, COMPRISING (A) AN ELONGATED HEAT-TRANSFER MEMBER POSITIONEDUPON SAID ROOF AND HAVING ONE END PORTION EXTENDING ACROSS A GUTTERTHEREOF TO A POINT SPACED FROM THE OUTER SIDE WALL OF THE GUTTER, SAIDMEMBER BEING FLEXIBLE TO AFFORD BENDING OF SAID MEMBER TO CONFORM TO THESURFACE OF THE ROOF, (B) A HEATER COIL CONNECTED TO SAID END PORTION OFSAID MEMBER AND HAVING A POWER SOURCE, (C) MEANS FOR CONDUCTING HEATFROM SAID HEATER COIL TO AND LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID MEMBER TO FORM SAIDTUNNEL, (D) AND A DRAIN PLATE SUPPORTED FROM THE OUTER SIDE WALL OF SAIDGUTTER AND LOCATED BENEATH SAID END PORTION OF SAID MEMBER EXTENDINGBEYOND SAID OUTER SIDE WALL OF THE GUTTER AND COOPERATING WITH THELATTER TO DIRECT THE MELTED SNOW OR ICE AWAY FROM SAID GUTTER.